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What goes on your Title Page?

  • by admin
    • Did you know that your book can contain two title pages? The first appears as the very first page when you open the cover and is called a half title page. The only thing on this page is the title of your book, usually small and understated. A half title page is not a requirement, and is mostly a leftover tradition from back-in-the-day when it is said to have been used as protective measure during the printing process.
    Whether or not you choose to include a half title page is up to you and the needs of your books, but you wouldn't want to leave out the second type, the title page. The title page is an important page that acts as a welcoming committee to those who've opened the book. It is the official start of your book and its design and content is quite simple, containing the:
    • full title of the book
    • subtitle if there is one
    • author name(s)
    • publisher name and location
    Depending on the genre of your book other information may also appear here, such as an editor name or edition numbers.
    Just because a title page is simple doesn't mean it has to be boring (says the designer!) A common design technique is to echo the cover by adapting artwork and/or font styles used there to appear on this page. If complex artwork is used on the cover, you may have to simplify it so that it doesn't overwhelm the page and that it prints well in black and white (if that's how your book's interior will be printed.)
    Here are a couple examples of title pages that I've recently designed.

    The title page for The Change Code uses the same font from the cover and a nautilus shell used as a decorative element both on the cover and throughout the interior as a section divider.

    Seizing Moments of Possibility closely echoes the cover design. It also lists the publishing company name and location under the author name.

    Raw Mind also closely echoes the cover design and shows the publishing company name, logo, and location.

    The Blue Lupine, a book of poetry, uses a very simple title page design. The font and arrangement of text echoes the cover.

    Help for Independent Presses

    Book Design & Production

    Have you written a nonfiction or fiction manuscript? After it has been professionally edited, I can design the interior pages and cover, plus guide you through the maze of book publishing and printing. To get started, contact me to discuss your project and my helpful guide for authors.

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